Will I Fall?
by Yuu Leiko
Summary: Ryou's an angel who lost his partner to the hands of a powerful demon. When he is saved by a fallen on a mission, he is pulled into a war between the forces of good and evil. He and the others have three months to build an army to defeat their enemies. Otherwise the Archangels might be lost forever, and the world will fall into ruin. Tendershipping YAOI. Many mythological aspects.
1. Chapter 1

**Yuu: I've had this idea for a while, but haven't had the time to actually write it.**

_Leiko: How could you possibly have the time now?! Finish your other story first!_

**Yuu: I. don't. know. And i'll get around to it... now. But we do not own YuGiOh, the characters, Tim McGraw songs, or anything in this. Oh! And it seems like there's a lot of religious-type suggestion... things in here, but it's only for the fact there's angels in it. It really has nothing to do with any religion at all. And I hope you understand what i'm trying to say cause i don't O_O**

* * *

"_When one obeys the wishes of the Lord, thou shall prosper beyond belief. However, if one were to disobey the laws set before, thou shall become tainted with evil, and deemed unholy." _This is the code all angels live by. These holy beings bare wings of white, signifying their purity. But when tempted by evil, these wings of white shall turn blood red, forbidding return to the holy land. And once impure, one can never return to the realm of the Lord, forever living in the world of temptation and hate, where demons reside.

* * *

"Are you leaving for the human realm, Ryou?" A young boy with long white hair and large brown eyes turned to see his friend Yugi, standing side-by-side with his mate, Yami. _(It really is scary how alike those two look… then again, the same goes for me and- … well, did go for us.)_ "Yes," he responded. "I've been given an order to help ascend the spirit of a young woman." Their expressions changed to that of shock. "_You're _being sent?! But you very well might have to deal with demons! I mean, sorry, but you can't _possibly_ handle them if you were to be attacked!" Yugi exclaimed. "He's right, Ryou. It'll be too risky for you to go alone. At the very _least_, allow someone else to assist you." Ryou let out a deep sigh. _(I know that they mean well, and are only looking out for my well-being, but even so…) _"I'll be fine, I promise. There have been no reported sights of demons in the area since she died. I should be alright." Before hearing their responses, he spread his wings and took off.

The two were left staring at his figure, disappearing into the distance. The shorter one, Yugi, turned to his mate. "I'm still worried about him! And neither of us can get permission to go with him now that he's already left…" Yami wrapped his arm around Yugi's shoulder. "It'll be alright, Hikari. I have a friend I might be able to contact on Earth. I'm sure he'll be more than willing to watch out for him." Confused, Yugi looked up to him. "A friend? How could you possibly know someone down there, let alone contact him?" Yami chuckled at his remark. "I _was _a pharaoh in a past life, Yugi. I know a thing or two about this kind of situation. But that's beside the point. I need to prepare to make a connection to him." Yugi followed after Yami, trying to keep up with his long strides. "So, who's this 'friend' anyway?" Yami looked a little saddened at his question. "Well…"

* * *

Ryou took advantage of being in the human realm, since he wasn't able to visit it very often. He flew as fast as he could through the sky, enjoying the view of the setting sun. He flew in large circles, reaching down to the ocean, and up to the clouds. He was starting to lose track of time, being lost in the moment. Only when it had started getting dark, did he remember why he was there in the first place. _(AH! Oh-no! I've wasted too much time here! Everyone must be worried about me. I should hurry up and go to her body.) _He flew around a bustling city, scanning through alleyways. It was certainly good that no normal human could see him in this state; otherwise there'd be quite a few trips to insane asylums.

_(Alright, she should be right around… here!)_ He glanced down to see a woman hidden in an alleyway. He carefully landed soundly on his feet in front of her. She was a young girl, probably around the same age as him. Well, the age he looked, anyway. Angels live for thousands of years. _(Poor thing… It looks like it wasn't a peaceful way to go, either…)_ Her body was mangled and covered in blood. Angels know when a human is about to die, but it is against the law to attempt and stop their death from happening. It was believed that it is pre-destined fate, no matter who the being is. Normally, though, human spirits will ascend to heaven on their own. But if an unholy being had part in the death, an angel will have to purify the soul before it can pass on. That is the sole duty of any holy creature.

Ryou knelt down in front of the girl, and began the process of purification. He said silent prayers for the human, while gesturing signs between her heart and his own. He was so focused on his task, that he didn't notice the movements around him before it was too late. Struck hard in the back of the head, Ryou stumbled over, almost falling on the body. Somehow, he managed to hold himself upright, and turned to see who or what it was that hit him. Though he was slightly dazed from the hit, and his vision was a bit blurry, he could still make out the figure. At first, it looked just like a regular man. But when Ryou focused, he noticed that he had sharp canines, long claws, black wings, and a long, pointed tail. _(A demon?! But there weren't any- oh-no! I was flying for so long that it gave him time to come here!)_

Mentally face-palming himself for his rookie-mistake, he stood up a little off balance. The demon licked its lips, revealing a long forked tongue. "Oh, what have we here? A little angel boy? How fun, it's been a while since I've had the pleasure of an angel's presence." He started to move toward Ryou, who took two steps back for every one the demon took. _(I should have listened to Yugi and Yami! I'm not strong enough to fight him!) _Knowing he was too weak, he thought he'd take a chance on trying to escape. He already freed the girl's soul, so his job was done here.

He took a few more steps back, starting to release his wings. "Oh? Trying to escape are we? Now that just won't do." As Ryou turned to get a running start, he was caught around the waist by the demon's tail. He hadn't noticed until now, but there were many very small, very sharp spikes covering the tail. As Ryou was pulled back, the spikes cut into his skin, causing him to whimper in pain. "Ah! What a nice sound... seeing a beautiful angel in pain gives me the greatest thrill! Let's hear some more!"

Grabbing Ryou by the wings with his claws, the demon held him away from his body, and started slashing at Ryou with his tail. "AH!" He screamed in pain over and over again. His arms, legs, stomach, and face were almost completely covered in huge welts before Ryou finally lost the strength to scream. "Oh, well now this just isn't fun anymore. I suppose I'll just have to finish you off now... well, I could always let you die a slow death as well. Hmm... What to do? I know! How about _you_decide? If you ask for a quick death I'll give you one. If not, I'll let it be agonizingly slow. So what shall it be?"

Ryou strained to answer, but his throat was too sore to make out much of anything. "I... n't... to... ie..." (I don't want to die... I don't... someone... Please, help me!) He pleaded silently in his mind, as he saw the demon raise his tail for another blow. "Oh, well. A slow death it'll be!" As his tail came downward, Ryou closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to come... but it didn't. Opening his eyes, he saw that the demon was no longer in front of him, but lying on the ground across the alley, covered in blood.

Instead, a familiar figure was before him, his brown eyes filled with rage. His long white hair was sticking out wildly in different directions. And his wings which were spread out behind his body, were the color of blood. He glanced down at Ryou, who was losing consciousness from the pain. _(But... it's impossible... you're supposed to be dead...) _After getting one last look at his… savior? Ryou blacked out.

* * *

**Yuu: HAHAHA! Cliffhanger! But you know what i _literally_ just thought of? Well, this story reminds me of the song "Angel Boy" by Tim McGraw.**

**_Leiko & Kyo: "I've felt the hand of the devil, felt his breath on my skin. Dip me into the water, wash me again. Can I still be forgiven for all of these things? Or have I gone too far now? Have I lost my wings?"_**

_Leiko: Ah! You're right! It does! LOL Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Yuu: Phew! Now that I'm used to being back in school, I'll be able to update more often! …. Probably ^_^'**

_Leiko: That's basically what you said last time!_

**Yuu: I know. I'm a pathologic liar. But it took a while to get into this chapter! But at the flashback it just started flowing.**

_Leiko: uh-huh. We do not own YuGiOh, the characters, the demons, or anything in this._

* * *

Ryou was surprised to wake up at all, let alone in a bed. He was lying on his stomach, face down in a soft pillow. Slowly turning over to sit up, he realized that his wings were gone _(Must be in my human form…) _Just to make sure, he focused on two points on his shoulder blades, trying to spread out his wings. Sure enough, when he did, out they came- but with stinging pain. Wincing, he focused on diminishing them once more.

"I wouldn't have done that if I were you." He jumped up a bit in surprise, hearing a deep voice coming from the corner of the room. Oddly enough, he recognized the voice, and thought it wasn't possible for him to be hearing it now. Slowly turning to look in the direction the voice came from, he quietly whispered a name in recognition, "Bakura?" There was a figure crouched in the shadows over in the corner. Standing up, 'Bakura' stepped forward into the light, revealing himself to Ryou.

He looked the same as Ryou remembered him. The same long, white hair and narrowed brown eyes, which were secretly hiding concern for Ryou. He felt tears sting the corners of his eyes, but he held them back as best he could. "H...How are... You're... I thought you were dead..." He finally managed to say in a small voice. Bakura sighed, stepping closer to Ryou with each word. "I suppose you would have been told that... for your own protection." Ryou shot up, ignoring the intensifying pain throughout his body. "How?! How could me believing your dead possibly be for my protection?!" His emotions were all forcing their way to the surface simultaneously: anger, hate, love, fear, happiness, sadness, regret, hope.

"Do you even _know_ what i've been through these past two years?! What i've had to go through without you?" Bakura stepped closer, his arms outstretched. "Calm down, Ryou. This is dangerous-" His words were cut of as a glass on the table behind him shattered. At the same time, the lights started flickering in throughout the room.

"I couldn't do _anything_ when you were gone! Do you know how much i've missed you?!"

"RYOU! Cam down! Your powers-"

"How _much_ I needed you?! How much I _still_ do?! I-I-"

Bakura wrapped his arms around Ryou, pulling his small body in close. He ran one hand through Ryou's hair, while the other made soothing circles along his back. "It's alright... just relax..." Though Ryou was able to get his powers back under control, he was still extremely shaken up. He held onto Bakura's shirt, gripping it tight enough for his hands to turn white. He leaned his face into Bakura's chest, and started to sob.

Bakura slowly led Ryou over to the bed, pulling him down into a sitting position. After a few minutes, Ryou's crying had stopped, but Bakura still held onto him. "B-but I... I still don't understand..." Ryou finally said. "How... are you here? Why was I told you were dead?" Bakura sighed, looking away from Ryou. "You already saw my wings, right?" Ryou sucked in a breath _(That's right... they were red...)_ "Does... Does that mean that... that you've..." "Well..."

* * *

**_(Two Years Ago)_**

"What do you _mean_ you're going alone?!" Yelled Ryou.

"It's exactly as I said. You aren't coming with me this time," responded Bakura.

"But why not?!"

"Because I said so! It's too dangerous for you!"

"Then why're _you_ going?!"

"It was my order! It's only a weak demon, so I'll kill it in no time!"

"But what if more show?! At_ least_ take someone with you! Please!"

Bakura sighed. It was getting harder and harder for him to resist Ryou. "Sorry, Ryou, but everyone's busy. They're all on their own missions: Yami's with Yugi, Marik's with Malik, and Kaiba's with Joey." Ryou pouted. "I still don't see why I can't go with you..." Bakura laughed and reached out, pulling Ryou against him. "You know why. You're not cut out for fighting. I'll be back soon, I promise."

Ryou looked up at him with worried eyes. Bakura leaned over, and kissed him lightly on the forehead. Blushing, Ryou stepped back. "F-fine... just hurry. And if it get's too dangerous, fly away, alright?" Bakura nodded in understanding. "I promise." Bakura turned around, spreading out his wings. Getting a bit of a running start, he soon took off into the air, readying himself for the dimension switch, while Ryou watched after him with concern.

After an hour or so of flying around, Bakura finally reached the area in which the demon was supposed to be living in. Though the demon's strength is weak, it was still strong enough to easily kill a human. _(All in all, it should be an easy assignment, although... {But what if more show?}... I'm sure it'll be fine.) _Bakura ignored the small point of doubt in the back of his mind, and continued to search for the demon by sky.

Not long after, he spotted the demon hiding in the shadows. Swooping down, Bakura got a closer look at the demon, who seemed to be stalking an unsuspecting human. "How disapointing... It's only a weak little imp," he noted. "It's probably just causing mischief... even so, I suppose I should eliminate it before it's pranks escalade..."

Flying downwards, he landed softly on his feet, right in front of the small creature. Surprised, the demon tried to run away, but Bakura easily caught it. He quickly waved his hand in front of the demon, releasing a beam of light that penetrated right into the imp's chest. Almost instantly, blood started spurting out of the wound, before the demon burst into flames.

Bakura was left standing there in the dark. "That _was_ really easy... I should get back before Ryou worries..." He started a light run, when he suddenly felt a strong demonic pressure heading straight for him. Before he could even react, he was tackled in the side, and was sent spiraling into a building. His vision blurred for a moment, when he felt a sudden pressure on his throat.

Trying to focus on his attacker, he noticed that it seemed like a normal human: except for the glowing red eyes and sharp teeth. His forearm was pushing into Bakura's throat. Regaining his strength, Bakura kicked out with all he had, sending his attacker flying across the street. Falling to the ground, Bakura tried to catch his breath. Meanwhile, his attacker was slowly getting up from the ground across from him. Doing the same, Bakura locked eyes with his opponent.

"Show me you're true form, you demonic bastard!" Bakura screamed, steadying himself for another attack. The demon cackled. "Hahahaha! Very well then, little angel. I'll show you my true appearance! Just don't faint from fright!" His body started to become distorted, as demonic energy started to whirl around him. His height increased by at least two feet, while his teeth grew longer and sharper. His fingers turned to large claws, and his arms and legs seemed to grow extra joints, taking strange forms.

His ears became long and pointed, and spikes stuck out along his back and newly grown tail. It was then Bakura realized what this specific demon was, and wished he had escaped right after killing the imp. "A _strigoi_..." Bakura said breathlessly. The demon laughed. "Ah! So you've heard of my kind?! Admitadely, There aren't many of us left in the human world, but i'm certainly surprised you know of us. Do you perhaps know of our other name?"

Bakura swallowed. "Immortal Vampires..." The demon started walking toward Bakura, who was slowly backing up. "Yes, _very_ good. I see Archy has taught you well." Bakura stopped in his tracks. "Archy? Who do you speak of?! Answer me!" The demon smirked. "Why, none other than the Archangel himself, of course. We go way back, a few hundred years or so... probably longer. When you live as long as we do, you start to lose track of time."

Bakura held his ground, despite the approaching threat. "Who the hell are you?" He asked quietly. "Hhmm... I've gone by many names throughout the years, but I suppose you could call me _Giure_." With speed incomparable to Bakura's, the demon was already in front of him. He tried to avoid the attack, but to no avail. The demon struck out at him with his claws right in the chest. Bakura screamed out in pain, but tried a counter of his own.

He stuck out his hand, almost as quick as the demon himself, striking him in the torso. Light protruded from his fist, penetrating the demon, who cried out. Both took a step back, but Bakura stumbled on the curb behind him, giving the demon the advantage he needed. He flew toward Bakura, pinning him to the ground. Bakura struggled, but his strength was no match for the demon, who laughed in amusement.

"I must admit, you are quite strong for an angel. Tell you what, because it's been a few centuries since anyone has been able to even put a scratch on me, i'll let you live." Bakura's tension released ever so slightly beneath the demon. "Oh, don't relax yet. I said i'd let you live. That doesn't mean you can go back home." Bakura's eyes widened in confusion and shock, as Giure sunk his teeth into Bakura's neck.

It felt like an eternity had gone by before the demon pulled back, releasing Bakura from it's grasp. Suddenly, Bakura felt a burning sensation on his back, as the demon lifted him off the ground by his neck. Bakura screamed out at the scorching feeling behind him as he felt his wings spread out. The demon looked at them with amusement. "Ah! You shouldn't miss the best part!" He tilted Bakura's head to the side, showing him his wings.

Slowly from the bottom, his white wings were slowly turning the color of blood. Pain shot up through his wings, inch by inch as they changed. It took only less than a minute, but by the time it was over, Bakura was ready to pass out from the pain and blood loss. The demon dropped him to the ground, Bakura slamming into the pavement. The demon bent over, speaking to Bakura softly. "Things will _certainly_ get interesting from here on out..." After relaying this message, he stepped back, instantly disappearing out of sight as Bakura passed out, with only a slight whisper of "Ryou."

* * *

_Leiko: So, I believe I noticed your love of mythology showing through?_

**Yuu: Yep! A strigoi is from Romanian mythology: it's sort of like a vampire. And Giure/Jure was the man suspected of being the first strigoi.**

_Leiko: Interesting! Anyway, here's Malik and Marik explaining in a little further detail information about angels._

_{Malik: Okay! Part one of the lesson: What's an Archangel?}_

**_[Marik: They're the head-honchos: The most powerful angels up here.]_**

_{Malik: They're also the ones that gives us our different assignments!]_

**_[Marik: Yep! They're head of the whole operation- What a minute! Why the hell are we only making a cameo?! And here, of all places?! Get us some damn screen time!]_**

_{Malik: ^_^' Uh, next chapter, Kaiba and Joey will explain the difference between a "Hikari" and a "Yami" when it comes to us angels.}_

_Leiko: So, until next time, please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Yuu: HAHAHA! I actually wrote the third chapter! After what, 3 1/2 months? Sorry bout that. I just could_ not_ get this story going! **

Kyo: But after her work on **Raison d'etre**, she's finally figuring some things out for this one. Hopefully, she'll be updating more ^_^

_Leiko: ... Frickin' authors, always take forever to update... _

Kyo: We do not own YuGiOh, the characters, or anything in this!

**There are many historical/religious figures named in this story. They go by different names (depending on the religion), and they'll be explained at the end. **

* * *

"Obviously, after that bastard Giure turned me into a fallen, I couldn't return to our realm. I was forced to stay down here, though those damn Archangels continue to give me work. Manly it's _Selth_ and _Uri_, but the others like to work me to the bone as well. As soon as I get my hands on them..." He started muttering about getting revenge, as Ryou stared at him in shock.

"They... they still give you work? I thought all communications were cut off with those who had fallen?" He asked. Bakura shook his head. "Nah, that's just what they tell everyone. We're all very much alive, I assure you." Ryou raised an eyebrow. "But why would they do that?" The yami shifted uncomfortably, obviously not wanting to answer.

"Tell me, 'Kura," prodded Ryou, causing Bakura to crack under the pressure. "They... they didn't want the loved ones of fallen's to _purposely_ become fallen's themselves to be with them." Ryou's eyes widened. "I... I see... that makes sense..." Bakura could see the possibilities running through Ryou's mind, but couldn't allow him to think about them.

"I'll see if I can get in contact with _Zad_. This kind of situation is his specialty." Ryou gave Bakura a thoughtful look. "Do you mean _Zadkiel_? And earlier... the others you mentioned... _Selthiel_ and_ Uriel_?" Bakura nodded, and Ryou scowled in response. "Why're you calling them by nicknames?! They are Archangels, treat them with respect!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms.

Bakura narrowed his eyes. "It's fine with them, Ryou. In fact, _Zach's_ the one who said to! Don't blame me!" Ryou rolled his eyes. "I don't care what _Zerachiel_ told you!" Bakura grunted, and drapped his arms over the back of his chair. "If they can call me Bak-chan, I think it's very well within my damn rights to call them whatever the hell I want!"

Ryou stared at him for a moment, before he broke out in laughter. Bakura raised an eyebrow at his sudden change of moods. But he instantly became worried when Ryou clutched his side in pain. "Ow-ow-ow!" He muttered, as his laughter ceased. "Relax, Ryou. You're still injured. You have to take it easy." Ryou nodded, as he calmed down, and sat back on the bed.

Bakura glanced out the window, seeing the sun recede behind the clouds. Looking back at Ryou, Bakura noticed he had started fidgetting. Sighing, Bakura knelt down in front of him. Ryou's bangs covered his eyes, and Bakura reached out to brush them away. Tears were streaming down Ryou's face, and Bakura was immediately concerned.

"Ryou, what's wrong?" He asked, wiping away Ryou's tears with his thumb. Taking in a deep breath, Ryou shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I'm just..." He paused for a moment, as he leaned forward into Bakura's chest. "...happy you're alive... I-" Ryou suddenly went limp in Bakura's arms. Looking down, he noticed Ryou had only fainted, probably from exhaustion. Letting slip a small smile, Bakura picked him up in his arms, and lay him gently back down on the bed, careful of the wounds on his back.

He moved his chair closer to the bed, and gently stroked Ryou's hair._ (Ryou... I can't get you involved in this... Once you've healed... I'll have to send you back. It's too dangerous now for you to stay, despite what I want.) _Sighing sadly, Bakura got up from his seat, and left the room. Bakura contacted Yami via telepathy to tell him about Ryou's situation. He and Yugi were going to speak with the Zerachiel and _Gabirel_ about retrieving Ryou.

* * *

Ryou awoke yet again in the same, soft bed. The conversation he had with Bakura earlier remained fresh in his mind. _(He... became a fallen. Which explains why he never contacted me. But what he claimed the strigoi said has me on edge...{Things will certainly get interesting from here on out...}) _Shaking off his suspicions, he wandered outside the bedroom, to discover he was in a seemingly large apartment.

He walked down a the hallway, which had seven other doors. Six revealed other bedrooms, two were large bathrooms, and the last a pantry stocked with food... (Food?) Ryou understood the need for a bedroom and bathroom, but angels didn't need to eat... So what did Bakura need with all the food? And with all of the extra bedrooms?

He reached the end of the hall to reach a large kitchen, fully stocked with a fridge, stove, oven, and cabinets. A table was placed in the center of the room, with eight chairs surrounding it. But the strangest thing Ryou saw was Bakura sitting on a couch in the next room over. Next to him with a phoenix on his shoulder, was a person Ryou believed to be dead.

"D-Duke?!" Ryou exclaimed, walking towards them. Bakura looked up at him. "Ryou? Your awake, huh? I thought you would have slept longer... then again, you've always been a fast healer." The spikey hair teen sitting next to him stood up, and approached him. "Ryou! It's been centuries! How've you been?" He asked, patting him on the shoulder.

Ryou stumbled over his words. "B-but, Duke... y-you're supposed to be dead!" Duke smirked. "Yeah, I know. I'm in the same situation as Bakura, here," he said. (The same situation as- Oh! So he's become...) "You're a fallen?" Asked Ryou, and Duke nodded. "Yeah, have been for the past three-hundred years. Time seems to go by much faster in the human realm, I tell ya."

Ryou smiled. "I see... It's good to see you, Duke... I-Is that what I think it is?" He asked, pointing to the bird on Dukes shoulder. "Yup. This is my Phoenix, Aka Ho-ou. We just call him Aka, though," he said. It was a bright red, with orange and yellow streaks flowing down it's long feathers. One would think it beautiful in it's current form, if they did not know of it's_ true_ form: A six-foot tall war animal, who's power rivals some of the strongest of demons.

"But... why do you have one?" He asked, genuinely curious. Duke shrugged, though Aka was able to keep his balance. "We fallen's all have our own partner. Isn't that right, Bakura?" He asked, looking over at the albino, who only grunted in response. "Really? Who's yours, Bakura?" Asked an eager Ryou. Sighing, Bakura let out a low whistle.

Ryou looked around, wondering what he was supposed to be seeing. All of a sudden, a small light appeared in the corner. At first, it looked like a small flame, but as it grew larger, more colors molded with the first. The light soon took a shape, of what looked to be a small dragon. While it seemed to become a solid figure, the creature seemed to have a faint glow, as multiple colored lights danced across it's scales.

Ryou truly thought it was a beautiful creature. "What is it?" He asked in wonder, as he slowly approached the small dragon. "It's an Elux Lucis," muttered Bakura. Ryou's eyes widened in shock. "But I thought they were extinct!" Bakura shook his head. "Nah, they're just not as high in population in recent years. There's still plenty of 'em... lucky me," he muttered quietly under his breath.

Apparently it wasn't quiet enough, because the dragon flew over to Bakura and nipped him on the hand. "Ow! That hurt, dammit!" He exclaimed. Ryou muffled a laugh. "What's his name?" He asked. "Akarui. We call him Rui so as not to confuse him with my Aka," answered Duke. Ryou smiled. "Alright. It's nice to meet you, Rui, Aka," he said, and pet Rui on the head, while he ruffled Aka's pin feathers.

He sat down in an empty recliner, and Rui curled up in his lap. "So, I was wondering... what's with all the extra rooms? And the food?" He asked. Duke glanced at Bakura. "You haven't told him yet?" Bakura shrugged. "Hadn't got around to it. Other things were more important." Duke sighed, as he leaned forward. "Alright, Ryou listen up. This is very important," he said, and Ryou nodded.

"Us who have fallen still work under the Archangels, who in turn work under the head Archangel, Gabriel. But you already know that, of course. I've already explained that we each received a partner to work with us, since we've all lost our old ones." Ryou snuck a glance at Bakura, who looked away. "The more powerful angels were given control of a certain area, and they in turn are in charge of it."

"Bakura here is in charge of this country: Japan." Ryou nodded in understanding. He always knew Bakura was powerful. "Other fallen's are given missions by these leaders. However, these missions could lead them to any country. This is why we have these buildings. When one of us is on a mission in a country, we stay here, a house just for us working under the Archangels."

_(I see... that explains all of the room...) _"And what of the food? Angels don't need to eat." Duke laughed. "You're right. _Angels_ don't need to eat, but us fallen do." Ryou raised an eyebrow. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed," he said. Duke shrugged his shoulders. "It's kind of a pain we need to eat to survive, but it tastes_ so_ good, it's totally worth it! Besides, fallen's aren't the only ones working under the Arch's."

"What do yo mean?" Asked Ryou. This time it was Bakura who answered. "Faeries, Vampires, Werewolves, Nephilim; anything on our side, really." Ryou gave him a confused look. "I thought Vampires and Werewolves were evil?" Bakura shrugged. "Some are, some aren't. Depends on the person," he said. Ryou sighed, as he leaned back in his chair.

"This is a lot to take in," he said, rubbing his eyes. Bakura nodded in sympathy. "I know. Yami should be getting back to me soon with news from Zach. Why don't you rest a little more? Just to make sure you're all healed up?" Ryou nodded, and stood back up. "Yeah... I'll do that." Rui followed him back to the bedroom.

"He's certainly taken a liking to him," noticed Duke. Bakura grunted. "Whatever. The sooner Zach gets back to me, the better." Duke looked at him sadly. "Why're you in such a hurry to get _Zera_ here? I thought you'd want more time to spend with Ryou..." Bakura sighed. "I don't need to get his hopes up. He can't stay here, and you know that. He _has_ to go back... It doesn't matter what either of us wants. It can't be."

* * *

_**A/N:**_

_**Selthiel, Urial, Gabriel, Zadkiel, and Zachiel are all Archangels. They have different names in different religions, which is why Duke & Ryou call Zach a different name, Zera (Zachiel = Zerachiel)**_

_**Phoenix's and Elux Lucis' are actuall mythical creatures. For those of you who don't know, Nephilim are the children of angels and humans.**_

_**Aka-Ho-ou means 'fire phoenix' and Akarui means bright/luminous.**_

* * *

**Yuu: Okay, now that a lot of the explaining is over with, the story'll begin to pick up again.**

_Leiko: I apologize for all of these mythical/historical/religious things she talks about. She's a mythology buff._

Kyo: Haha, true. Kaiba! Joey! As promised last chapter, you guys are up!

**[Joey: 'Kay! Alright, so hikari's are those of us who mainly specialize in healing & regeneration. Not that we can't fight though!]**

_{Kaiba: Oh, no. You're all just weaker then us yami's, who **actually **kick the asses.}_

**[Joey: You tryin' to start somethin'?!]**

_Leiko: Please Review! Knock it off you two!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Yuu: Yay! No more 3 month waits!**

_Leiko: Nice job!_

Kyo: We do not own YuGiOh, the characters, or anything in this!

* * *

"Um... so, does that... uh, taste good?" Questioned Ryou. He was sitting at the kitchen table watching Duke and Bakura eat something called pizza. "Oh, it's _so_ good," responded Duke, taking another bite. "I tell ya, Ryou, eating really has it's perks. Even though we die if we go too long without eating anything, since it tastes good, it's totally worth the risk!"

Rui snorted and looked up at Ryou, who then picked up a small piece of raw meat and fed it to him. "What is this stuff, anyway?" He asked Bakura. "Veal," he said. "The blood has to be drained before he can eat it, though," he added. Ryou raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?" Duke chuckled. "'Cause he goes totally crazy otherwise, and destroys the house!"

Rui shot a small flame from his mouth at Duke, but Aka deflected it with his own. "What he _means_ is, Rui grows to his full form. Obviously, his size alone would destroy the house. And I don't want to deal with the others getting pissed at me, so I keep him in this form," said Bakura. Ryou looked at him. "The others?" Bakura made to answer, when the front door slammed open.

"Ah, I'm so tired! Bakura-chan, I've finished my mission!" Ryou glanced over to see a beautiful blonde-haired woman walk towards them. She was tall with large eyes, and seemed to walk very seductively. She sat in an open chair next to Duke, and grabbed a slice of pizza. She set a brown folder down on the table, and crossed her legs.

She wore high-heeled boots, a tight shirt that cut off mid-stomach, and her skirt ended just above her knees. She was dressed all in black, and had purple eyes that seemed to be swirling with different shades. Ryou was somehow feeling himself drawn to her. "Dammit Mai, tone it down, will ya?!" Asked Bakura. "Ryou's not used to someone like you! I don't need you messing with his head!"

The woman, apparently named Mai, seemed to notice Ryou for the first time. "Oh, sorry sweetie. Bakura-chan forgot to tell me he had another guest!" She snapped her fingers, and her clothes changed instantly. She was wearing dark jeans, and a large jacket, that covered up her chest. Sunglasses appeared over her eyes, and Ryou suddenly no longer felt himself drawn to her.

"Whether he's here or not, quit dressing like that!" Hearing another voice, Ryou looked behind him to see another man standing in the doorway. "You're going to make Duke go into heat!" He had spikey blue hair and narrowed eyes, and was wearing similar clothes to Mai's. "Oh, haha, Mako," responded Duke in a mocking tone. "Why don't you go find some kiddie pool to splash around in?"

Mako grunted and and next to Ryou, across from Duke. He also grabbed a slice of pizza. "_These_ others, Ryou," mumbled Bakura. "We said before we're not the only ones staying here. Were on the top floor of the building, level 5. Mai's on level 3, and Mako on 1." Ryou's eyes widened. "There's _that_ many people here?!" He asked. Duke shrugged.

"We're about half-full. Everyone likes their privacy, so we filter out. You, Bakura, and I are the only ones on this floor," he said. Mako grunted. "I don't see why _you're_ on this floor. You're not even a fallen!" He exclaimed, glaring at Duke. He shot up from his seat, and seemed to almost be _growling_ at Mako.

"No... I'm not a fallen. Not anymore. But at least _I'm_ not a freaky-fish guy!"

"I'm _not_ a freaky-fish guy!"

"Oh really? I seem to recall you being nothing but a young guppy!"

"I'm a _shark _type!"

"Guppy, shark, what's the difference?! For all I care, you're just a narwhal!"

"Don't degrade me to being one of _them_!"

"Who? A unicorn of the sea? They're an upgrade from you, if you ask me!"

"Why you mangy mutt!"

"What'd you say?!"

"Ew, do ya smell that? It's smells like wet dog in here!"

"That's it!"

Duke made to jump across the table, when Bakura grabbed him by the collar, and threw him on the ground. He then turned and did the same to Mako. "Both of you, just KNOCK IT OFF!" He yelled, and the two went silent. Ryou was completely stunned by the entire episode, and Mai was simply laughing. "How many times have I told you bastards to avoid each other?!"

The two stayed silent as Bakura sat back down, and rubbed his temples. "You all give me a damn headache," he muttered. Ryou looked over at Mai in confusion. "What... just happened?" He asked, and Mai turned to face them. "Oh, nothing you need to worry about. These two always go at it. You'd think Mako to be a cat, the way he hates Duke."

"I'm a _Cetus_! And a shark type at that! Don't even joke about me being a damn cat!" Exclaimed Mako. "A... Cetus?" Questioned Ryou. Mai leaned in closer to him. "A type of sea creature. His 'demon' form is a shark-type Cetus. So basically he's just a powerful demonic shark," she added with a chuckle. "And what about Duke?" Prodded Ryou. "He said he wasn't a fallen anymore?"

Mai nodded. "He was bitten by a werewolf. That's how he became a fallen in the first place. Sometimes, the one who turns an angel into a fallen accidentally transfers some of their powers to the one they attack. Since Duke was bitten by a werewolf, it's a given he turned into one," she explained. Ryou nodded. "That makes sense... but what are _you_?" He asked.

Mai smiled at him. "A succubus!" She said happily, before returning to her pizza. Ryou swallowed as he realized what that meant. She was a demon who takes the form of a human and enters men's dreams to seduce them... that explains why he felt drawn to her. _(So I'm living with a fallen, a werewolf, a cetus, and a succubus... this should be interesting...)_

Suddenly, a blinding beam of light appeared next to Bakura. It changed into two separate shapes, that began to take the form of two recognizable people. "_Zerachiel... Zadchiel.._." Whispered Ryou. Two of the most powerful being in the universe were now standing before Ryou, and they did not look happy to see him.

* * *

**Yuu: DUN-DUN-DUUUUN! I wanted to write more, but I gotta sleep ^_^"**

_Leiko: I think my favorite part was the argument between Duke and Mako, lol!_

Kyo: Mine too. I like that you put Mako and Mai in here. I don't see them often...

**Yuu: I try. Please Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yuu: My love of mythology is driving me to constantly write this XD**

Kyo: But it's good since she had a three-month update gap.

_Leiko: True. We do not own YuGiOh, that characters, or anything in this. _

* * *

Ryou instantly fell into a bow at the sight of the Archangels. To his surprise, he was the only one to do so. "Get up, Ryou," said Bakura, and he obeyed. "You _dare_ show such disrespect to us?" Questioned the angel known as Zerachiel _{A/N: Zachiel}_. He had dark brown curls framing his face, cutting off shoulder length, and his eyes truly did look as blue as the ocean.

When humans found another attractive, they would say that person looks like they fell from heaven. Ryou guessed this might be where the expression came from. Both him and Zadchiel were _extremely_ attractive. Whereas Zerachiel had dark hair, Zadkiel's was more of a light auburn color. He had kind eyes, that were shining gold. However, the scowl on their faces did nothing to calm Ryou down, as he took a step behind Bakura.

Zerachiel took a step forward, and was a good head or so taller than Bakura. He glared down at him, and reached his hand out. Ryou tightened his grip on Bakura's shirt, fearing the angel's wrath. But Ryou felt something was off as he saw the corners of Zerachiel's mouth twitch. Ryou raised an eyebrow as he suddenly broke out in laughter.

"You can _never_ keep that up, Zera!" Laughed Zadkiel, as Zerachiel almost keeled over in laughter. "You always blow our cover as the bad guys!" Zerachiel laughed as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I know, I know. It's just _not_ in my nature!" He said, and patted Ryou on the head. "Sorry to scare ya, kid. We just like to mess with newbies sometimes."

Bakura grunted. "I thought I told you not to pull your dumb pranks on Ryou, Zach!" He said, glaring at Zerachiel. He only shrugged. "I'm not doing _you_ a favor, Bak-chan," he said. "You're my subordinate! You need to listen to what we say!" Bakura looked as though he were about to strangle Zera right on the spot. "Ah! He's giving me a scary look Zad!" He cried, stepping behind Zadkiel.

"Would you guys cut it out?!" Exclaimed Bakura. The two grinned at him, before waving to the door. "Fine, fine. We'll talk business," said Zad. Mai stepped forward, looking at Zera. "Aw, I wish you guys could stay for a little longer! It's so dull staying here with these boring men," she said. Zad laughed. "Unfortunately, we cannot indulge ourselves in your talents, Mai. We have important things to discuss with Bakura."

Zera raised an eyebrow. "Not that I would particularly mind- OW!" He exclaimed, as Zad elbowed him in the side. "Let's go, Bakura," he said, leading the other two out the door. Ryou still stood there, awe-struck at what just happened. "I... hadn't expected them to be so laid-back!" He exclaimed, and Duke chuckled. "They're just like us, Ryou. Just... older and more powerful."

"Hard to believe _something's_ older than you," muttered Mako, and Duke scowled. "Can it, guppy," he said, as he walked over to the fridge and grabbed some soda cans. He tossed one to Mako, and one to Ryou. Mai left, saying she was heading back to her room. Ryou sat down on the sofa, and Rui appeared again to sit on his lap. "What do you think they're talking about?" He asked Duke.

"What to do with you, probably," he answered. "Not many angels know of the work we do down here. Your one of the special cases." _(So that's why Bakura hasn't sent me back yet...) _"What do you think they're gonna do to me?" He asked. "Who knows," answered Mako. "Maybe they'll feed you to my pets." Duke flicked him on the arm. "Knock it off!" He exclaimed.

Mako seemed to pout. "Just having a little fun," he muttered. "Yeah, well, you're 'fun' is stressing the kid out!" Responded Duke. He sat back in his chair and sighed. He glanced at Ryou, who seemed to be very worried about what the others were talking about. "I know!" Said Duke, as he got up from his chair. "How about I introduce you to some of the other guys living here until they're done?"

* * *

"I thought you were going to take Ryou back?! What's the hold up?!" Exclaimed Bakura, now that they were finally out of earshot of the others. Zera sighed, as he leaned against the wall. "Unfortunately, the circumstances have changed," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "What? What's happened?" Questioned Bakura. He looked between Zera and Zad, hoping for an answer.

"It's _him_," responded Zad. "He and Giure have begun to gather their forces." Bakura's eyes widened in shock, and he clenched his fists. "Giure..." He muttered under his breath. Zera nodded. "Their forces are gathering here, in Japan. That's why we've been relocating as many forces as we could here in the last month." Bakura glared at Zad.

"You're telling me this _now_?!" He exclaimed, slamming his fist on the wall. "They're all under _my_ protection. And you didn't think it would be important to tell me we're preparing for a war?!" The lights started to flicker in the hall in response to his emotions getting out of hand. "Calm down, Bakura! We've been busy, and this wasn't our first priority!"

Bakura closed his eyes, calming himself down. "Fine. I'll tell the others about this once I know who'll be able to fight with us. My concern now is Ryou. Take him back with you," he said. Zera looked at Zad unsure. "About that," he started. "We... want to leave him here_._" Bakura glared at him. "_Zachiel._.. Do _not_ start with me!" He snarled, looking extremely pissed off.

"Hold on Bakura," pleaded Zad. "Hear us out. We're about to go into war, and we need all the help we can get. You're going to be training with the others. You're going to need an experienced healer on your side. I know you just want Ryou to be safe. But we need him _here,_ with you." Bakura glared at him, but sighed in defeat, knowing full well what they were saying was right.

"If he gets hurt... I'm taking _your_ heads," he said. "That's a promise." The two nodded, knowing he would keep it. "We'll inform the others. Yami and Yugi are going to the U.S. Marik and Malik are going to Europe. Kaiba and Joey are going to Australia. They're helping to train the other forces as well. If our calculations are correct... We have three months until _his_ and Giures forces are ready to attack. Be prepared by then," said Zera, as he and Zad disappeared before Bakura's eyes.

* * *

Duke pounded on the entrance to level 2. "I _know_ you're in there! Open up!" He waited a moment, but heard no answer. "Come on, guys! The sun's already down! It's time to wake up!" There was a rustling behind the door, before a young man with blue eyes opened it up. He had spiked black hair with gold streaks, and there was a golden tattoo along the left side of his face.

"Wha'dya want?" He mumbled, as he scratched his head. It was obvious that he had just woken up. "New live-in!" Responded Duke cheerfully, as he pushed Ryou to the front of the group. "We're making the rounds to introduce him to everyone. Mako's the only one here right now from the first floor, so I thought we'd come pay you three a visit!"

The man grumbled, and he stepped back, revealing a similar apartment to the one Ryou was been staying in. The only difference was that there were no windows. "I-I'm Ryou," he said introducing himself. He held out his hand, and the man took it. His hand was freezing cold, but Ryou didn't flinch. "Yusei Fudo," he said with an amused look on his face.

Ryou nodded, as he led them over to some empty chairs. "Crow's out right now. Jack's still here, though. HEY! JACK!" He yelled, facing the hallway. A moment later, another young man into the room. "What is it, Yusei?" He asked, scratching his head. He also had spiked hair, though his was blonde. He had fair skin and violet eyes.

"Newcomer," responded Yusei, pointing to Ryou. Jack waved to him, before heading to the fridge. "Sorry, he's always moody when he get's up," said Yusei apologetically. Ryou shook his head. "It's no problem." Yusei leaned back in his seat, and watched Ryou with curiosity. "So... you're an angel, huh?" He asked, eyeing Ryou. "Y-yes," Ryou said, unsure why he was being watched so... closely.

"I can tell by your smell," said Yusei, as Jack returned to sit next to him on the couch. He had a red drink in his hand, and he too started looking at Ryou. "An angel, huh? First Duke, now Bakura. How many others'll we get?" He wondered allowed, as he took a sip. "I know Bakura can be a handful, sorry," Ryou said. "I'll try to keep him in line, but don't hesitate to kick his butt if he's being a jerk."

At this, both Jack and Yusei smiled. "We'll keep that in mind," said Yusei. It was then Ryou saw something that sent a shiver down his spine. They both had an enlarged pair of sharp incisors, clearly shown when they smiled.

* * *

**Yuu: Aw, yeah! Some 5D's action in here! I'm not marking this as a crossover though, and it'll be explained next chapter why that is. **

_Leiko: Haha, I love Yusei! But I know who 'he' is, and what Yusei and Jack are~_

Kyo: We'll it's kinda obvious what they are... But three chapters in the last few days! Nice!

**Yuu: Pretty much. Please Review! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Yuu: This is getting ridiculous. I just _cannot_ stop writing this! (This is what happens when I have no homework)**

Kyo: Oh, you poor thing. You can do my homework!

_Leiko: And mine! We do not own YuGiOh, the characters, or anything in this._

* * *

"Vampires... I'm sharing an apartment with vampires..." Ryou muttered to himself as he, Duke, and Mako climbed to the fourth floor. They had chosen to skip the 3rd floor, not wanting to deal with the succubus' and incubus'. "Well I'm a werewolf, and Mako's a cetus... It shouldn't be _that_ surprising," said Duke. "Besides, Bakura _said_ that there were vampires here."

Ryou nodded. "Yeah, I guess so... but still, their fangs kinda gave me the shivers." Ryou had an idea what was in Jack's drink, but decided to ignore it. Duke laughed sympathetically. "That's the usual reaction the first time you meet one. But Yusei, Crow, and Jack are all pretty cool guys. You should see how they are in the middle of the night. They throw pretty _epic_ parties when they're _actually_ awake."

Mako laughed. "Haha, that's true. Ah, their New Years party last year?! _That_ was pretty freakin' awesome!" Duke laughed, as the two high-fived one another._ (I guess despite the fighting, they're actually pretty good friends? Kinda like Kaiba and Joey.) _He felt a small sting of pain, remembering his friends that were probably worried about him._ (I'll ask Bakura if he can contact them, and let them know I'm fine.)_

"Ah, here we are," said Duke. He pounded on the door marked with a 4. "Guys! Newbie intro!" He heard some shuffling behind the door, before a boy around the same age as Ryou opened the it. "A newbie?" He asked. He had a large mound of brown and orange hair, and had two different colored eyes: one was a shade of golden brown, and the other a bluish green.

"Haha! This means _we're_ not the newbies anymore!" He exclaimed, looking excited. "Hey! Chazz, Syrus, get over here!" The brunette stepped back to allow them into the room. "I'm Jaden Yuki by the way," he said, as Ryou passed by. The two shook hands. "Ryou." He looked behind Jaden to see short kid with spikey blue hair and gray-blue eyes. "This's Syrus Truesdale," said Jaden, pointing to the boy behind him.

"And over there's Chazz Princeton." He pointed to the other side of the room at another boy, this one with spikey black hair and dark eyes. "He's pretty moody, so feel free to ignore him," said Jaden, which caused Chazz to flip him off. The group sat down at the table, though Chazz continued to hang by the counter. "If you don't mind my asking," started Ryou. "What are you all?"

Syrus raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Duke cleared his throat. "He wants to know what kind of demons you are," he clarified. Jaden laughed. "Is that all? Well, Chazz over there is a _tengu_. I know, not very impressive." Chazz glared at him from the counter, but remained silent. "I'm a _marid_... the most powerful type of _djinn," _he said proudly._  
_

Chazz laughed from his spot at the counter. "Not powerful enough if I've got _you_ forced into a contract," he said with a smirk on his face. Jaden blushed. "Alright, I have _one_ weakness! Big deal! We all know you'd be useless without me!" Chazz rolled his eyes. "Please," he said. "I could kick your butt any day!" Duke sighed at their fighting. "Play nice in the sandbox, children," he said. Chazz turned to him. "You wanna go?" Duke laughed. "No. My _haunts_ would be enough to handle you," he said, and Chazz went silent.

"Um... I though djinns could only be contracted by... er, _wizards_?" Questioned Ryou, and Jaden chuckled. "Nah, not anymore. In case ya didn't know, wizards aren't exactly in high population. A few centuries ago, one taught a _yokai_ how to contract my kind. And that guy hadda big mouth, so of course he blabbed to every type of demon around. And now, I'm stuck with _that_ guy," he said, pointing at Chazz, who shrugged.

"I wanted a pet," he said nonchalantly. "Then why didn't you pick Syrus?!" Questioned Jaden. Chazz seemed to almost pout. "It wouldn't be as fun! He's not entertaining enough!" Jaden rolled his eyes, looking back at Syrus. "D'ya want to switch places with me?" He asked, and Syrus raised an eyebrow. "I'm a _peryton_, Jaden. We do not degrade ourselves to being kept as a pet," he said jokingly.

"Peryton?" Questioned Ryou, whispering in Duke's ear. "Perytons are a type of stag. Except they have razor sharp teeth, horns, and wings," he responded. "He's actually the rarest of the rare." Ryou gave him a confused look. "How so?" Duke nodded at Syrus. "Perytons are rare nowadays. Especially in highly populated areas. But Syrus takes it a step further. He's a blue peryton, making him all the more rare... and powerful."

* * *

"Where have you two been?! Exclaimed Bakura, as Duke and Ryou finally got back to the apartment late into the night. "You know full well where we've been. Nothing goes on under this roof without your knowledge, Bakura. We all know that," responded Duke. Bakura sighed, and sat back in his chair. "Duke introduced me to the other guys living here," said Ryou.

"They're certainly an... interesting group," he said. Duke laughed as he rifled through the fridge. "True," muttered Bakura, and he looked at Ryou with slight worry. "What?" Asked Ryou. "What's wrong?" Bakura waved Duke back over. "I finished talking with Zach and Zad earlier," he said, and Ryou tensed up. "What's going to happen to me?" He asked worriedly.

Bakura scowled. "Nothing... they want you to stay here." Ryou raised an eyebrow. "Why?" It wasn't that he didn't want to stay with Bakura, he was just curious as to why he was allowed to. "That's the thing," started Bakura. "_He_ and Giure are raising forces against us. They want to take down the Archangels." Duke shot up out of his chair.

"WHAT?!" He yelled, slamming his fist down on the table. "How could this happen?" He asked Bakura, who only shrugged. "No idea. All that matters now is that we stop him and his army. Zach thinks we have about three months to train and gather our troops." Duke slumped back down in his chair, and rubbed his eyes. "This seriously sucks, guys."

Bakura nodded. "We're training everyone hosted here. We'll probably be getting others soon as well," continued Bakura. He glanced at Ryou. "We want you here to be our healer." Ryou nodded in agreement, though he was still caught in shock of the news. "Yugi, Yami, Marik, Malik, Kaiba, and Joey have all been assigned to train others in different countries. No one is being left out of this war."

Duke shook his head. "This is ridiculous! I knew he was a bad guy and all... but to think he'd raise his hand against his brothers... _Mike_ and _Gabe_ are _not_ going to like this," he said, and Bakura grunted. "I'm glad I'm not up there having to deal with them right now. I almost feel bad for Zach and them." Duke chuckled lightly. "Ya think we'll feel the effects of it?" He asked.

Bakura shrugged. "Depends if they've found out yet." As if on cue, Ryou started to hear thunder from a distance. "Looks like they just did," said Duke. "Um... who's he?" He asked. "You keep saying _his_ forces. Who are we dealing with?" He already figured out their nicknames for the Archangels, but there wasn't much clue to _who_ was behind this war.

Bakura sighed as he put his head in his hand. "_Lucifer_," he responded. "The first fallen angel, and the one who took a third of the angels with him. He's the one who considers himself the leader of us fallens."

* * *

**Yuu: Dayum! XD This isn't a crossover, 'cause... the GX and 5Ds guys aren't _really_ important characters. I just needed others to take the space in the building. There was another reason, but for the life of me I cannot remember what it was! Dammit!**

_Leiko: Haha, whatever. But if anyone has a question about the mythology, let Yuu know. _

Kyo: Sorry about all the mythology info. I know it's confusing. I can't stop Yuu though! SHE'S CRAZY! STOP HEEEEERRRRR!

**Yuu: T^T My sorries. Please Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

_Leiko: Sorry for the wait guys. We're still trying to figure out an update schedule since we have so many stories to work on._

**Yuu: And know this: I ship people like crazy.**

Kyo: Why would we need to know that?

**Yuu: You'll see... You'll all see! We do not own YuGiOh, the characters, or anything in this!**

* * *

"Ryou! Wake up!"

...

"Come _on_, kid, time to get up!"

...

"Geez! He said you were hard to wake but this is just ridiculous! Ryou! Wake up!" Duke shook Ryou's sleeping figure harder, finally causing the boy to stir. "Huh?" He muttered, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. "Waz' goin' on?" He asked, fixing his sleeping gaze on Duke. Rolling his eyes, Duke walked over to the windows, and pulled open the curtains, causing Ryou to squint at the bright sunlight.

"Rise and shine, angel boy," said Duke, as a smile spread across his face. "Time for some morning training!" Ryou moaned and turned his face back into the pillow. Sighing, Duke ripped the covers off of him, causing the boy to shiver. He glanced up at the clock on the nightstand next to him. "Duke, it's 7:00 am! I don't wanna get up!"

Duke glared at Ryou before heading to the door. "Quit acting like a kid, Ryou. We have serious work to do." With that, he left Ryou alone once more. Mumbling quietly, Ryou slowly slipped out of bed and headed to the dresser to change. At some point, Bakura had managed to secure spare sets of clothing for him, though most seemed like they were more suited for battle. Not that Ryou was complaining: they weren't much different from what he usually had to where when on a mission.

Bakura had also given Ryou a pouch the night before, allowing him to carry any small items he wished within it. Ryou held it in his hand and smiled. He could still feel the slight trace of Bakura's energy on it, and couldn't help but feel happy. It was an energy he hadn't felt in two years, and one he never thought he'd feel again. Even so, Ryou still felt anxious about Bakura since they reunited. He knew there were still things being kept from him, and Ryou wanted to know what they were.

But he knew better then to pry when it came to Bakura. He just wished he wouldn't act so distant to him. The way the two were with each other now, no one would probably guess that they were mates... fated ones... What was it that humans called it? Being lovers? Well, Ryou could forget all that once was with the way Bakura was avoiding him. Though it hurt him to be so close to the one he loved, and not be able to act the way they once had with way other, he figured just being near him was enough for now.

He thought it would just take time. Though Bakura probably didn't know, Ryou knew he was always sneaking glances at him. Ryou could practically feel the heat of his gaze on his back when Bakura stared, though he immediately averted his gaze if Ryou tried to catch it._ (Ugh, come on Ry, now's not the time to be thinking such thoughts. We have to start training for the war today)._

Sighing, Ryou headed out the door and into the kitchen, where Duke seemed to be finishing eating a piece of toast. "'Bout time ya came out," he said with his mouth full. "We need to meet with the others downstairs." He picked his coat up off the chair and headed for the door. Ryou followed, but stopped at the entrance. "What about Bakura?" He asked, looking up at Duke.

He shook his head in response. "Not coming." Ryou arched an eyebrow. "Well why not?" He asked, wondering what could be more important. "Lemme rephrase; He's not coming until later. The Vamps from downstairs aren't yet adjusted to the time, shall we say, and sleep during the day, for obvious reasons. Until they start getting used to being up in the day and sleeping at night, Bakura's going to do night training with them. He'll meet up with us toward the end of the day, though."

Duke caught Ryou's slight pout and laughed. "You'll get to see lover-boy later, so don't fret, okay?" Ryou blushed and averted his gaze, as he followed Duke out the door and down the stairs. Ryou realized that in the days he'd been staying with Bakura, he'd never once went outside. He was either too wounded or busy learning about the human realm.

As they reached the entrance to the building, it was then a thought struck Ryou. "Duke, where exactly are we training? I mean, it's not like we can do it in broad daylight..." Duke laughed and glanced back at Ryou. "You'll see," was all he said, as they stepped outside. Ryou flinched in reflex to the bright sunlight, and covered his eyes with his hand.

"Haha! So, even angels wince from the sun, huh? Never would have guessed!" Hearing a familiar voice behind him, Ryou turned to see Jaden and Chazz exiting the building. Duke rolled his eyes. "Of course they do! I'd told you before that they're similar to humans. Minus the supernatural differences, the only major distinct difference is they don't need to eat. They can do everything we do: take showers, play games, go shopping, hang out with friends, have sex-"

"DUKE!" Exclaimed a flustered Ryou, and Duke shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it's true!" He defended. "It's not like _you've_ never tested that one out," he muttered under his breath, so only Ryou could hear. Ryou's blush deepend and he lowered his head, hiding his eyes with his bangs like he always did when he was embarrassed. Jaden laughed as the four continued down the street. It seemed Ryou was the only one who didn't know where it was they were going. "I really don't wanna do this," complained Jaden, as they rounded a corner.

"And you think any of us do?" Questioned Chazz, who received a mocking glare from Jaden. "You know what I mean," he continued. The two continued on in conversation, and Ryou took the opportunity to look around at the city. It really was very impressive. There were so many tall buildings, that he believed were called skyscrapers, and there were thousands of people making their way through town.

The only thing that annoyed Ryou was having to make sure not to bump into anyone; He was only invisible to humans, not intangible. Sighing, he side stepped a person to try and avoid hitting them, but accidentally clipped the man's shoulder. Luckily, the man seemed not to notice. Well, either that or he assumed it was one of Ryou's friends.

But it reminded Ryou of one mission he'd gone on with Bakura a few years before he 'died.' They were in a place called New York, and even though it was late at night, the city was still so full of life. He and Bakura had been chasing a small demon, when it snuck it's way into the city. As they chased it down, Ryou got careless and accidentally ran into a man as he rounded the corner, causing him to fall to the ground.

Needless to say, the man started freaking out at being pushed down by nothing. Obviously Ryou couldn't apologize, so he and Bakura kept on going. But after killing the demon, Bakura decided it would be fun to pull pranks on some humans, and he would start messing with them since they couldn't see him. Of course, the archangels reprimanded Bakura for it, but it hadn't stopped him from doing it time to time. Bakura always was a bit of a sadist, and got much joy from scaring the crap out of humans.

Ryou laughed at the memory, and received a strange look from Duke. "Ah, it's nothing. Just remembered something funny, is all," Ryou explained awkwardly, and Duke arched an eyebrow. Before he could ask about it, Ryou side-tracked him with a question of his own. "By the way, where were you last night? You never came back after you'd left." Amusing to Ryou, the faintest hint of a blush came across Duke's face. "I-I was out with Mako, is all," he said, avoiding Ryou's gaze.

That was all the reaction that Ryou needed to see to know what was really going on between him and Mako. They really were like Kaiba and Joey after all. "Taking advantage of the fact Mako's the only one on the first floor right now, 'ey Duke?" Prodded Chazz, and Duke's blush deepened slightly. "None of your business, Princeton. I don't question what goes on when Syrus leaves, do I?" He asked.

Jaden blushed while Chazz shrugged. Kind of a weird relationship they have, Ryou thought. Chazz was basically a large and powerful bird demon, whereas Jaden was a less powerful demon (but by no means weak), who's kind were often put under contracts by 'wizards' to do their bidding. "We're here, by the way," Chazz said, breaking Ryou's thought. Ryou laughed inwardly before looking up at the building in front of him. "W-What on Earth?" It looked just like what humans called a 'football stadium.' It had to be a few stories high, was shaped like a dome, and didn't have a single window.

"Surprised?" Asked Duke, and Ryou nodded. "It's huge! How could you guys ever find something like this?" He asked, genuinely curious. Duke smirked as he unlocked the entrance. "Zera has some serious connections down here, apparently. He's set up similar places for the others to train as well." He unlocked the door and smiled, while bowing in an overly dramatic way. "After you, Ryou."

* * *

**Yuu: ... Seven a.m., waking up in the morning, gotta be fresh, gotta go downstairs-**

_Leiko: OMG no! She's been singing that ever since she wrote that Ryou woke up at 7:00 -_-_

Kyo: She probably chose that time _just_ so she could sing it...

**Yuu: Haha! Please Review!**


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